Inside the Blackhawks' decision to draft Anton Frondell: Swedish connections and 'eyes on fire'

Former Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya doesn’t watch a ton of hockey anymore. He’s busy enough running two companies in Stockholm.

So when Hawks associate general manager Norm Maciver called Oduya this spring to ask about top Swedish draft prospect Anton Frondell, he couldn’t offer much insight into Frondell’s on-ice skills.

But Oduya could speak to Frondell’s personality, and he had a glowing review to share.

‘‘When I meet young players, I tend to look for...the eyes on fire and the need and the want [to succeed],’’ Oduya said. ‘‘That’s really cool when it’s connected to skill and hockey sense and all of the other stuff he has.’’

The Hawks also gathered intel from Swedish scouts Mats Hallin and Niklas Blomgren, who met with Frondell for countless coffees and lunches; from former Hawks forward Marcus Kruger, who played with Frondell; and from Frondell himself, who was comfortable being his genuine self in front of executives.

All of that factored into their decision to draft Frondell with the No. 3 overall pick. In the 18-year-old forward, the Hawks think they potentially have added a crucial ingredient to their up-and-coming core.

Swedish connections

By chance, Frondell has come of age in the same circles as a number of former Hawks. The first one he befriended was Oduya.

Oduya — who helped the Hawks win Stanley Cups in 2013 and 2015 — has, since retirement, founded an athletic apparel brand (Atunya) and a center for breath-work classes (Hale). In the last several years, Frondell has done apparel photo shoots and participated in field-hockey tournaments organized by Oduya.

‘‘I haven’t spoken with him about [breath work], but that’s something I should do, though,’’ Frondell said, a light bulb flickering inside his head.

Said Oduya: ‘‘In many ways, [Anton] has a lot of the characteristics Marian Hossa had. He’s a very down-to-earth individual that has this light appearance. But he’s still really hard-working and doesn’t take himself too seriously. He knows what he can deliver.’’

In spring 2023, Oduya brought Kruger, a fellow two-time Cup champion, to watch Frondell play for the Swedish national under-16 team. It turned out he needn’t have made the introduction.

Frondell and Kruger, 35, became teammates last season on the Swedish club Djurgarden and became close off the ice, too.

‘‘It’s so noticeable: [Anton] has the whole package,’’ Kruger said. ‘‘He can skate, he can shoot — he can really shoot it — and [he has] hockey sense. But during this year it was the confidence that grew. That’s why he could, in some games, really dominate.’’

Frondell endured an injury-plagued fall, but he found a rhythm around Christmas and was Djurgarden’s ‘‘best player in February and March,’’ in Kruger’s opinion.

He finished with 25 points in 29 regular-season games in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second-division pro league. That per-game rate roughly equaled those of William Nylander and David Pastrnak — lofty company — during their predraft seasons in the Allsvenskan.

Frondell’s ice time declined in the playoffs because of other players returning from injuries, but he still added seven points in 16 games to help Djurgarden earn promotion into the first-division Swedish Hockey League. Ludvig Rensfeldt, a Hawks second-round pick in 2010 whom they never signed, also played on the team.

When the Hawks selected Frondell in June, Djurgarden teammates flooded his phone with congratulatory messages.

‘‘Kruger texted me: ‘You’re going to love [Chicago]. There’s no better city, no better place,’ ’’ Frondell said.

Selling points

Hawks amateur scouting director Mike Doneghey first saw Frondell in February 2024 — at an international tournament in Michigan — and noticed one deficiency in an otherwise impressive package.

‘‘The size, the puck protection, the IQ and the hands, that was all there,’’ Doneghey said. ‘‘The issue at that time — because he was only 16 years old — was his skating.

‘‘The tongues of his skates were hanging out. His skates looked really loose. He just looked weak from the ankles down in his skating. But from that point on, we all knew that...through maturity and strength training, the skating would come.’’

It did — at least from the Hawks’ perspective. Not every scout league-wide is enamored with Frondell’s skating, but the Hawks can tell he has put in the work necessary to improve it, especially his first three strides. In the under-18 world championships this spring in Texas, Doneghey saw a radical difference from the year before.

‘‘Anton is power,’’ he said. ‘‘He’s lower-body-heavy. Almost like Jonathan Toews skated, he’s just power coming through the middle of the ice.’’

One trait every scout is enamored with is Frondell’s shot. He can release the puck quickly with accuracy and velocity. Kruger said he’s ‘‘in awe’’ of it.

The Hawks suspect Frondell’s style one day will translate effectively in the NHL playoffs, too. That’s not only because of his husky frame (6-1, 205 pounds) but also because of his hard-nosed determination.

‘‘He just has that...‘it’ factor when he knows something is on the line,’’ Doneghey said. ‘‘He’s not going to take an easy route if there’s a puck in the corner; he’s going to go directly to get the puck. He’s going to turn his body to protect his puck against the wall and the same thing at net-front.’’

Humble confidence

During the Hawks’ NHL combine interview with Frondell, they went 12 minutes past their allotted time before anyone even checked the clock.

‘‘A lot of players...seem to have all the answers already,’’ Doneghey said. “He thinks, ‘What do I need to do to get better? Who do I need to talk to [in order] to do this?’ He’s always thinking [about] how to get better, and you can tell.’’

One story from that interview already has been told: When the Hawks asked Frondell whether he preferred center or wing, he said he would play whichever position Connor Bedard wasn’t playing. In retrospect, he feels slightly embarrassed about that answer.

‘‘I think it was just a funny thing,’’ Frondell said. ‘‘He’s a pretty good player, so it’s a bit scary to say that.’’

That sheepishness aligns with one way Oduya described him: ‘‘There’s a difference between cocky confidence and humble confidence, and he really has the latter.’’

There’s no question Frondell is confident, though. Perhaps that comes from his family dynamic; he spends hours per week competing on tennis courts against dad Henrik and older sister Alva. Or perhaps it’s innate.

‘‘Maybe I am pretty confident, but I don’t get satisfied often,’’ Frondell said. ‘‘I know what it takes, and you’re never done. You have to believe it for it to happen. If I was shy and not confident, it’s harder to make it happen.’’

As of now, Frondell is preparing to return to Djurgarden next season. Kruger said he expects Frondell to be a ‘‘force’’ for them and thinks playing in the tougher SHL will aid his development.

It is also possible Frondell could earn a spot on the Hawks’ roster or start the season in Rockford, provided the Hawks work out some agreement with Djurgarden and sign him to an NHL entry-level contract.

No matter where he lands in 2025-26, however, Frondell represents a big part of the Hawks’ future — and his Swedish mentors think he will thrive with that responsibility.

‘‘There’s a lot of things to learn in the NHL, not just how to pass or backcheck but how to carry yourself and become a professional and withstand the mental [pressure],’’ Oduya said. ‘‘With his attitude and personality, I think he has the ability to do that and excel at that.’’